I grew up in the area in the 80’s. My mum (and even my current next door neighbour) worked at Pyrton and the Bennett Brook hostel (both housed and educated people with disabilities) which is the buildings on the Northern side of the derelict aboriginal community. I can remember collecting mussels from the creek in the “farmers land” on the Beechboro side.
So here is where it all began... I love the channel, its cool to see the history of Perth that I never even knew existed - definitely some places to go and visit now!
One of your videos popped up for me a few days back, I was excited to see something like this in Perth, but didn't think I would stumble upon something this close to home. I grew up in Lockridge and spent a lot of time exploring the bushland on the other side of the brook, I actually have memories of stumbling upon this crossing 15-20 odd years ago as a kid and crawling across the better of the two logs, which both look even less inviting today. The Swan Valley Nyungah Community was based on the western side of the brook, which can be seen in that aerial view from 2006. I have brief memories of the last year that it was still in operation, before the government closed the settlement in 2003. The structures remained until 2014 before they were bulldosed, but I wish at least some were preserved as they had a lot of cultural significance that has now been erased. There's a lot of very sad history behind the sacred lands that surround this area. That being said, this area is still fuil of natural beauty, something we're lucky to have so close to the city, although they do keep expanding suburbs and chipping away at what remains. I definitely think you missed out by skipping the ''bad side'' of the brook, as there is a lot to explore and find within the bushland - winding trails, abandoned vehicles that have rusted away and probably have cool history, wildlife including blue tongues, swans and other cool flora and fauna. Awesome video though, keep up the meaningful content!
My favourite part: The fig tree that could 😂 Olive trees are often used as ornamental trees as they provide a lot of shade and require very little care (pretty hardy through harsh summers and cold winters), so I'm assuming they were planted there purely for looks and shade. Also looks like those nails might be there to provide some grip when walking across the slippery log? Can't see if they go all the way across though. 10/10 Pilot 👍
@@brendansodyssey Yeah, not sure if the nails are remnants from when the top of the bridge was there or whether they've been put in at a later date to help people walk across the remaining log 🤔
The nails have been recently (within the past 4-5 years), bent over as they used to stick up about 2-3cm above the log. There used to be planks across the two logs and then dirt etc over the planks. Over the years the dirt washed away and the planks rotted, leaving just the nails and the logs. The logs were (last time I went across) really solid - even the rotted one.
Awesome videos you are posting. I grew up south of the river late 70s to 90s in cannington area. My play areas were around Lynwood Ferndale from what was called the white house all the way to canning Bridge "raffles hotel" Kent Street weir and the foot bridge to Carousel were great places to hangout as a kid
Yeah boy the Whitehouse lol I grew up in Langford and went to Lynwood high and was frequenting Cannington h.s. cos the chics were different 😂 also carousel Kent Street weir the dogs the black track through Ferndale Lynwood basically everywhere you said. Great time in my life id say the happiest even. This guy Brendan is pretty cool doing these vids about our home def subbing.
Those buildings on other side were Pyrton, which was a home/hospital for children with severe intellectual disabilities. That land is actually Eden Hill, the Lockridge boundary is Lord Street. East of Lord and North of Morley Drive intersection is part of Caversham. Whiteman Park manage that whole slither of land for Bennet Brook including the big swamp behind the brickworks. In there are culturally significant aboriginal areas and a pit that they used to dig out clay for the bricks.
Yeah it was Pyrton, I actually did work experience there in high school (Lockridge SHS) in the kitchen. I was new to the area, and my new "friend" tricked me into applying there. Pretty funny looking back now though.
If you go on the wa state library, theres aerial view shots of perth suburbs ,lockridge back in the day was full of blocks of flats it looked like england , it was the biggest urban renewal project in australia at the time , started dozing the place in 1992 b cool 2 find some old photos or videos back in the day of the place ,maybe the wa state library may have some , you couldnt get insurance in the suburb back in the day it was rough ,spewin in never seen the area back in its day ,keep up the great videos champ, that area around guildford swan river up 2 bennet brooke bridge is beautiful fertile land
Yeah worked there, public housing lots in lock ridge were very troubled. Worked in both Sydney and Perth and Sydney just followed in Our footsteps of creating public housing suburbs such as Minto, Bradbury, airds and Claymore which were very similiar to lock ridge and other places like midland back in the day
@@Whyyoineedahendle i bought me 1st house in lockridge , 2005 the flats were all demolished in 96 , the aboriginal camp on lord st was shut down early 2000s , even tho where all the flats were and all new housing is now , theres still heaps of constant crime there, claymore and airds were rough joints 2 apparantly never been there but seen videos , sydneys massive but only bn to the airport there glad i dont live there bugger that
@@mikenolzeynolan4635 yep Pyrton was that aboriginal Health centre and I’m pretty sure a girl got rxped there and commit sxicide(don’t want UA-cam to delete comment). I use to pick up bins in the shire of swan and surrounds and lock ridge was always different, saw some crazy things such as bomb threats and nxked people roaming the streets. A decade or 2 before that was Wexcombe in Midland, placed where Stratton is now and that was hell on Australia during late 70s. Vaguely remember hearing about shootings and how it went from a WW2 homestead for returning soldiers and became the gov’s garbage tip for people that needed public housing or had mental health issues that aren’t as recognised back then as much as now. Went to school with a bloke that went down a “different” route in life, causing trouble around Midland and surrounds, ended up having kids and they ran amok on the streets of swan view during the 80s/90s and he was in homeswest housing. I went and earned money driving trucks and town planning and still came back to Midland, it’s kind of a “no matter where I go Midland is my home” kind of thing. But yes Airds and Claymore were rough because prior to us becoming Townplanners the last group had used Radburn Principles to save money and construct a communised community which failed basically as soon as all the houses were finished. I look back at those Sydney suburbs down in Campbelltown and Airds+Claymore still remain, will have to go back one day to see if I remember any of the locals. But I sure am glad they demolished Minto because that suburb was chaos during 90s and early 2000s
Hey brendo! Vids kick ass bro hey do u think u could do a vid about the brickworks that the first buildings in perth were built with? Cos my family were part owners of howlett and brittons brick works and it used to be where the queens gardens are now in east perth. I would really love to know more about it as our family has no written records however before it was closed to the public i have seen our name written on the bricks in the old archway at the end of st georges terrace in the cbd. There has to be more to the story and id love to know why we didnt inherit the property that is now the queens gdns.
I grew up right next to the other side, it’s astonishing over there and connected to success hill too! Lockridge has its sketchiness for sure, but it also has such beautiful nature, a lot of character, and locations that we are so lucky to have so close to home! Perth really is a gold mine for places to explore, so cool to find good info on this channel! 🤍🍀 Edit: I also always called this land “across the road” as a kid, n it really is a huge area to explore !!!Beautiful lillies and waterways to explore in winter n spring! So excited to see a video that feels so local :)
Another interesting location near there that you could do a video on is the old Caversham motor racing track. Part of the original track is still there.
Very cool. I was aware of the WW2 airfield but wasn't aware of its racing history. I should check it out before it gets swallowed by a housing development
@@brendansodysseyjack Brabham Doug green Alf barbagelo d.green was a six time state champion in an open wheeler we and my mates drag our hot F.J s quarter mile standing start
Interesting, when I kayaked up Bennet Brook a bit about 2 years ago we were obstructed by what seemed to be a weir or something made of corrugated iron. Maybe it's not there anymore if that woman is kayaking right up to the bridge. I grew up in Lockridge and I remember having paperbark boat races down Bennet Brook - but we'd start further north at the Beechboro end.
If you look along the Swan river, there is a track for mountain bikes etc, i rode along there once but not that far around, will have a look for this bridge next time...cheers
Can't believe you didnt cross it. Only like a metre drop surely. But i guess if it broke not only do you risk injury but also the loss of the bridge. Anyway love the videos, keep up the good work mate.
Oddly enough, in places in the USA they are finding that soil disruption by large herbivores is quite beneficial for recovery of soil nutrients and the biome generally.
@@maddiielisabeth3925 people legit drinking filtered sewer water so it makes no different its good for the plants above that filter the stuff out of the water before it gets to the ground water table also birds and fish poop in the water as well more dangerous local businesses have their waste put into the water not animals
Cows were run on those padocks up until at least 2010. The whole area floods out over winter on good years. I'm surprised they bothered to put up a house that close. Olives were planted throught the whole area because they need no maintainence and tradition. The entire area was opened up by Italian and other immigrants from the med & baltics.
Pastoral land, means you lease from the government to do what you like with the land for grazing etc. laws changed in 2023, to say leasing the land from the government doesn’t mean you’re entitled to the soil or timber. Just the natural surface.
Cows adding bad things into the ground ? 😂 city-centric rubbish misinformation. Cows would have grazed the grass and deposited valuable nutrients into the soil.
I grew up in the area in the 80’s. My mum (and even my current next door neighbour) worked at Pyrton and the Bennett Brook hostel (both housed and educated people with disabilities) which is the buildings on the Northern side of the derelict aboriginal community. I can remember collecting mussels from the creek in the “farmers land” on the Beechboro side.
So here is where it all began...
I love the channel, its cool to see the history of Perth that I never even knew existed - definitely some places to go and visit now!
I'm surprised people are watching this. It’s basically the pilot episode!
One of your videos popped up for me a few days back, I was excited to see something like this in Perth, but didn't think I would stumble upon something this close to home. I grew up in Lockridge and spent a lot of time exploring the bushland on the other side of the brook, I actually have memories of stumbling upon this crossing 15-20 odd years ago as a kid and crawling across the better of the two logs, which both look even less inviting today. The Swan Valley Nyungah Community was based on the western side of the brook, which can be seen in that aerial view from 2006. I have brief memories of the last year that it was still in operation, before the government closed the settlement in 2003. The structures remained until 2014 before they were bulldosed, but I wish at least some were preserved as they had a lot of cultural significance that has now been erased. There's a lot of very sad history behind the sacred lands that surround this area. That being said, this area is still fuil of natural beauty, something we're lucky to have so close to the city, although they do keep expanding suburbs and chipping away at what remains. I definitely think you missed out by skipping the ''bad side'' of the brook, as there is a lot to explore and find within the bushland - winding trails, abandoned vehicles that have rusted away and probably have cool history, wildlife including blue tongues, swans and other cool flora and fauna. Awesome video though, keep up the meaningful content!
Ok I stand corrected, those buildings in the satellite view were part of a tafe complex, while the community was just north of that
@@nywat not TAFE, that was the old Pyrton facility for children with intellectual disabilities. good ramble these days and down to Success Hill spring
My favourite part: The fig tree that could 😂
Olive trees are often used as ornamental trees as they provide a lot of shade and require very little care (pretty hardy through harsh summers and cold winters), so I'm assuming they were planted there purely for looks and shade.
Also looks like those nails might be there to provide some grip when walking across the slippery log? Can't see if they go all the way across though.
10/10 Pilot 👍
Judging by the old aerial imagery, the dirt track appeared to go over the bridge. I think these logs are just all that's left of the supports.
@@brendansodyssey Yeah, not sure if the nails are remnants from when the top of the bridge was there or whether they've been put in at a later date to help people walk across the remaining log 🤔
The nails have been recently (within the past 4-5 years), bent over as they used to stick up about 2-3cm above the log. There used to be planks across the two logs and then dirt etc over the planks. Over the years the dirt washed away and the planks rotted, leaving just the nails and the logs.
The logs were (last time I went across) really solid - even the rotted one.
Awesome videos you are posting.
I grew up south of the river late 70s to 90s in cannington area.
My play areas were around Lynwood Ferndale from what was called the white house all the way to canning Bridge "raffles hotel" Kent Street weir and the foot bridge to Carousel were great places to hangout as a kid
Yeah boy the Whitehouse lol I grew up in Langford and went to Lynwood high and was frequenting Cannington h.s. cos the chics were different 😂 also carousel Kent Street weir the dogs the black track through Ferndale Lynwood basically everywhere you said. Great time in my life id say the happiest even. This guy Brendan is pretty cool doing these vids about our home def subbing.
Thanks Brendan, this is scratching that adventuring itch that I seldom have the time to scratch these days
Those buildings on other side were Pyrton, which was a home/hospital for children with severe intellectual disabilities. That land is actually Eden Hill, the Lockridge boundary is Lord Street. East of Lord and North of Morley Drive intersection is part of Caversham. Whiteman Park manage that whole slither of land for Bennet Brook including the big swamp behind the brickworks. In there are culturally significant aboriginal areas and a pit that they used to dig out clay for the bricks.
Very interesting. Thanks for the info
Yeah it was Pyrton, I actually did work experience there in high school (Lockridge SHS) in the kitchen. I was new to the area, and my new "friend" tricked me into applying there. Pretty funny looking back now though.
If you go on the wa state library, theres aerial view shots of perth suburbs ,lockridge back in the day was full of blocks of flats it looked like england , it was the biggest urban renewal project in australia at the time , started dozing the place in 1992 b cool 2 find some old photos or videos back in the day of the place ,maybe the wa state library may have some , you couldnt get insurance in the suburb back in the day it was rough ,spewin in never seen the area back in its day ,keep up the great videos champ, that area around guildford swan river up 2 bennet brooke bridge is beautiful fertile land
Yeah worked there, public housing lots in lock ridge were very troubled. Worked in both Sydney and Perth and Sydney just followed in Our footsteps of creating public housing suburbs such as Minto, Bradbury, airds and Claymore which were very similiar to lock ridge and other places like midland back in the day
@@Whyyoineedahendle i bought me 1st house in lockridge , 2005 the flats were all demolished in 96 , the aboriginal camp on lord st was shut down early 2000s , even tho where all the flats were and all new housing is now , theres still heaps of constant crime there, claymore and airds were rough joints 2 apparantly never been there but seen videos , sydneys massive but only bn to the airport there glad i dont live there bugger that
@@mikenolzeynolan4635 yep Pyrton was that aboriginal Health centre and I’m pretty sure a girl got rxped there and commit sxicide(don’t want UA-cam to delete comment). I use to pick up bins in the shire of swan and surrounds and lock ridge was always different, saw some crazy things such as bomb threats and nxked people roaming the streets. A decade or 2 before that was Wexcombe in Midland, placed where Stratton is now and that was hell on Australia during late 70s. Vaguely remember hearing about shootings and how it went from a WW2 homestead for returning soldiers and became the gov’s garbage tip for people that needed public housing or had mental health issues that aren’t as recognised back then as much as now. Went to school with a bloke that went down a “different” route in life, causing trouble around Midland and surrounds, ended up having kids and they ran amok on the streets of swan view during the 80s/90s and he was in homeswest housing. I went and earned money driving trucks and town planning and still came back to Midland, it’s kind of a “no matter where I go Midland is my home” kind of thing. But yes Airds and Claymore were rough because prior to us becoming Townplanners the last group had used Radburn Principles to save money and construct a communised community which failed basically as soon as all the houses were finished. I look back at those Sydney suburbs down in Campbelltown and Airds+Claymore still remain, will have to go back one day to see if I remember any of the locals. But I sure am glad they demolished Minto because that suburb was chaos during 90s and early 2000s
Keep the videos coming, pal. Really interesting stuff. Cheers.
Hey brendo! Vids kick ass bro hey do u think u could do a vid about the brickworks that the first buildings in perth were built with? Cos my family were part owners of howlett and brittons brick works and it used to be where the queens gardens are now in east perth. I would really love to know more about it as our family has no written records however before it was closed to the public i have seen our name written on the bricks in the old archway at the end of st georges terrace in the cbd. There has to be more to the story and id love to know why we didnt inherit the property that is now the queens gdns.
I grew up right next to the other side, it’s astonishing over there and connected to success hill too! Lockridge has its sketchiness for sure, but it also has such beautiful nature, a lot of character, and locations that we are so lucky to have so close to home! Perth really is a gold mine for places to explore, so cool to find good info on this channel! 🤍🍀
Edit: I also always called this land “across the road” as a kid, n it really is a huge area to explore !!!Beautiful lillies and waterways to explore in winter n spring! So excited to see a video that feels so local :)
Another interesting location near there that you could do a video on is the old Caversham motor racing track. Part of the original track is still there.
Very cool. I was aware of the WW2 airfield but wasn't aware of its racing history. I should check it out before it gets swallowed by a housing development
@@brendansodysseyjack Brabham Doug green Alf barbagelo d.green was a six time state champion in an open wheeler we and my mates drag our hot F.J s quarter mile standing start
Cool , I have kayaked past the entrance of the brook to the swan river many times and did not know that was there , Cheers Pete
Interesting, when I kayaked up Bennet Brook a bit about 2 years ago we were obstructed by what seemed to be a weir or something made of corrugated iron. Maybe it's not there anymore if that woman is kayaking right up to the bridge. I grew up in Lockridge and I remember having paperbark boat races down Bennet Brook - but we'd start further north at the Beechboro end.
Man this is inspiring really, amazing to see such a curious structure, nice and secluded!
If you look along the Swan river, there is a track for mountain bikes etc, i rode along there once but not that far around, will have a look for this bridge next time...cheers
My new fav channel! The improv-style keeps me wondering, “what subtle irony or witticism will he drop next?”
I was there 12 years ago having a look. Thanks for putting this together 👍
Olive trees are often used as wind breaks between fields to protect crops
starting to get some exposure Brendan! keep up the good work and slightly slack jaw history. NOR rules!
Can't believe you didnt cross it. Only like a metre drop surely. But i guess if it broke not only do you risk injury but also the loss of the bridge. Anyway love the videos, keep up the good work mate.
Yeah, definitely more concerned about the bridge (and my camera)
That wasn’t a tafe on the other side it was the Swan Valley Nyungah (Noongar) Community. Demolished about 10years ago.
Ulawa Grove was a aboriginal camp out there for a very long time
Oddly enough, in places in the USA they are finding that soil disruption by large herbivores is quite beneficial for recovery of soil nutrients and the biome generally.
I think he misspoke and was referring to the water mound below the soil where we get our drinking water.
@@maddiielisabeth3925 people legit drinking filtered sewer water so it makes no different its good for the plants above that filter the stuff out of the water before it gets to the ground water table also birds and fish poop in the water as well more dangerous local businesses have their waste put into the water not animals
Farmers everywhere figured that out centuries ago :D
Cows were run on those padocks up until at least 2010. The whole area floods out over winter on good years. I'm surprised they bothered to put up a house that close.
Olives were planted throught the whole area because they need no maintainence and tradition. The entire area was opened up by Italian and other immigrants from the med & baltics.
Pastoral land, means you lease from the government to do what you like with the land for grazing etc. laws changed in 2023, to say leasing the land from the government doesn’t mean you’re entitled to the soil or timber. Just the natural surface.
There was a wind driven flower mill there
Interesting!
Love the WA south west
look up the history of Lou Whiteman
Gradually catching up with all your vids. Not much point to this comment other than helping YT recognise the channnel :)
Cows adding bad things into the ground ? 😂 city-centric rubbish misinformation. Cows would have grazed the grass and deposited valuable nutrients into the soil.